Dusty Blinds

Dusty Blinds

 

I got the idea for this post back in November.  Yes, you read that right, NOVEMBER.  Don’t believe me?  Here’s proof…

 

So my last post was on November 24, 2011.  I meant to post this one even before that, as you can tell from the photo above.  I just got distracted.  Distraction, it’s a major thing isn’t it?  We get distracted from things by all kinds of things all the time don’t we?  We’re typing an e-mail and the kids need something so we have to stop, only to realize an hour later that we never finished.  Or cooking dinner and the phone rings, the next thing you know there is this weird smell and a high pitched squealing and you realize you forgot to set the timer on the oven.  *The kids might appreciate that one because it often leads to pizza or McDonald’s night!  What about other distractions though?  What about the kinds that take you away from really important things, like your relationships with your family, or your health, or from God?

This part is going to get kind of personal, just a warning.  I’m laying it out on the line for you and being really really honest here.  Don’t judge, ok?  In our master bedroom we have what I jokingly call, the “toilet closet”.  Let me explain.  Our tub and sinks are open to the rest of the room, but for privacy the toilet is in its own little room, which measures about 3’x4’ which is why I call it the “toilet closet”.  There is a tiny little window in there, I suppose to help keep you from feeling completely claustrophobic when you’re in there, and of course there are blinds on the window.  You definitely don’t want someone peeking in THAT window!  The blinds in there are mostly out of sight, and so they are pretty much out of mind until you go in there.  Then I see them and think, “oh, I need to dust those!”  Then I walk out the door and something else is going on and I forget, I allowed myself to be distracted, until the next time I head to the closet.  Then it starts all over again.  My bathroom blinds were really dusty!  I mean REALLY dusty!  Here, have a look (if you have dust allergies you might want to cover your nose and mouth, this much dust might fly out of the monitor)…

Told you!

So I realized one day that there are a lot of things in my life that are dusty like those blinds.  I think of them, and that I want to do them, but then I allow myself to be distracted.  For example, do you know how many times I say that I am going to get up in the morning and have quiet time daily?  A lot, trust me.  I’ll do good for a while, and then I allow myself to be distracted by something.  Perhaps it’s homework or something with the kids, or just being tired.  Getting up at 5 am is hard, and I can’t exactly go to bed at 8 or 9 pm, my kids don’t go to bed until 9:30 and I have things to do after that.  I also make a lot of self-promises regarding this blog.  I want to write more, but I allow myself to be distracted and lose sight of what I know I want to do, what I’m called to do.  I let my life get dusty.  I let my relationship with God get dusty.  I don’t like that very much.  That’s not who I am, it’s not who I want to be, and it’s not the example I want to set for my children.

I know that I need to have my time with God daily; my days go so much better when I start it with Him.  I’m refreshed and encouraged and ready.  I’m recharged and full and ready to face whatever is coming, I feel like I can handle whatever the day holds.  When I don’t then everything, and I mean everything, can feel overwhelming and tiring and honestly I don’t want to face the dusty blinds, so when I walk away I allow myself to be distracted by something less daunting.

There are other things that I allow myself to be distracted from, many times it’s school, or this blog, or who knows what.  Things that I want to do and things that I know God has called me to do.  Things that I know I should do, and I don’t do them.  Instead I get distracted by other things that take me away from where God wants me to be and where I want to be.  Kind of like Paul says in Romans 7:18-24.  I walk out the door and say I’ll do it later, when I’m not so tired, or when there is more time.  James, the brother of our Lord says that we don’t know what is going to happen.  He says that when we know we should do something, we need to do it.  James, who shot straight from the hip with no holds barred, said this, “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” (James 4:17, NIV).

So far I’ve talked about cleaning my blinds, and writing my blog, and quiet time, and doing homework.  There are other things though.  I know where God is leading me, although I’m not sure exactly how He’s taking me there, but I know that He has plans for me.  Whatever those plans are He will make them happen, Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love O Lord endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.” (NIV).  I have to do my part though, and make sure I do what He calls me to.  When He gently taps me on the shoulder and I ignore it that’s not good.  I need to listen and follow right away.  He shouldn’t have to whack me in the back of the head and say, “TRICIA, I told you to write a blog post… or I told you to trust me and take the class on teaching, or offer forgiveness to this person, or call this person or that person, or whatever it is…”  His gentle touch on my shoulder should be enough for me to do something, and some things He shouldn’t even need to tell me to do.  Just like I shouldn’t need to be reminded to clean the blinds, I just need to do it because they need to be cleaned, they get dusty and it makes me sneeze.

So, today I wrote this blog post.  It took me a while, but I was determined to do it.  Honestly I wanted to go to bed a little bit ago and this afternoon I did allow myself to become distracted, but I was determined and got it done.  You know what else I did?  I cleaned the blinds!  Check it out…

 

 

Now my challenge is not getting distracted tomorrow.  I’m not worried about Friday yet, one day at a time!  How about you?  Do you have blinds that need to be dusted?  I’d love it if you shared, if you’re comfortable, maybe we can help each other keep them clean!

in Him,

Tricia

Romans 7:18-24

James 4:17

Psalm 138:8